Tag: French movie

Just Because Wednesday, Movies at Home: ‘Les Diaboliques’

Jeff Mitchell

The cover-up is worse than the crime. Isn’t that what public relations specialists always say? Well, it applies when a politician commits adultery, but what if John or Jane Q. Citizen murders someone?  The crime is bad enough on its own, but in “Les Diaboliques” (1955), the immediate cover-up morphs into something else: unbearable paranoia and a deep mystery. Well, it’s no mystery that AHFW features one of our favorite movies every Wednesday…just because!  This week, we’re going back in time 65 years and jumping across the pond to France…

‘Alice’ is an enlightening, escort tale set in the City of Light

Jeff Mitchell

“Alice”  – “The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies.” – Unknown Author Alice and Francois Ferrand (Emilie Piponnier and Martin Swabey) built a beautiful life together.  They enjoy a happy marriage, adore their healthy, young son Jules (Jules Milo Levy Mackerras) and live in a lovely, bright apartment in the heart of Paris, one of the world’s landmark cities.  Writer/director Josephine Mackerras efficiently establishes these definite certainties within her film’s first few minutes, including Alice declaring to Francois – with a smile and some…

31 Scary Movies: ‘Diabolique’

Jeff Mitchell

“Diabolique” (1955) – The cover-up is worse than the crime. In the case of director Henri-Georges Clouzot’s sensational “Diabolique” (1955), the cover-up morphs into something much more: unbearable paranoia and a deep mystery. It is not a mystery that Christina Delassalle (Vera Clouzot) isn’t happy.  She enjoys her job as a teacher and an owner of Delassalle Boarding School, but she’s married to a boorish jerk, Michel (Paul Meurisse). He openly cheats with another teacher, Nicole (Simone Signoret), and when Michel actually spends time with Christina, he usually browbeats her. …